National emergency communication network nears reality

By Mark Tanner

Updated 8:17 pm, Tuesday, August 21, 2012

When New York City firefighters charged the stairwells of the World Trade Center towers, they could not relay important information back to police officers on the ground. Likewise, information could not be sent to them. A patchwork network of communications systems proved woefully inadequate when our first responders needed quick access to life-saving data and critical connections. Recent adoptions of new standards have improved the interoperability of land mobile radios locally. However, nearly 11 years later, the situation nationwide remains disjointed. First responder communications systems across the country still are not interoperable and don't provide broadband services we've become accustomed to with our personal smart phones. But a new law will soon change that.

This spring Congress authorized creation of the Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN), and provided for the formation of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). FirstNet will oversee a $7 billion federal allocation to begin nationwide development of an interoperable communications network. No matter the ZIP code, jurisdiction, type of disaster or crisis situation, first responders will be able to share critical data and communicate to save lives.

According to the 9/11 Commission recommendations, "Congress should support pending legislation that provides for the expedited and increased assignment of radio spectrum for public safety purposes." The PSBN was the focus of many members of Congress, along with state and local first-responder agencies, police and fire associations, as well as the telecommunications industry. Decidedly slow progress at the federal level led many states to question whether the U.S. government would honor its commitment to first responders. But congressional advocates came to a final agreement this spring and turned years of effort into a tight plan of action, backed by substantial federal investments.

Notwithstanding this positive turn of events, some cities and states lost patience years ago with the slow federal process and moved forward with stand-alone projects of their own. Houston and Charlotte, N.C., along with many other public safety broadband projects, have moved well beyond the planning process. Indeed, the Federal Communications Commission began granting waivers to those states and regions that were ready to forge ahead with their own independent PSBN projects. These projects are now on indefinite hold, however, waiting the oversight of the soon-to-be-seated FirstNet board, which will be responsible for both the interoperability and the building of the entire system.

This delay is understandably unpopular in areas where pilot projects are under way. Some user and industry groups have urged immediate consideration of the opt-out process provisioned in the PSBN federal law - giving them the ability to complete their own stand-alone networks. However, there are significant risks that should be given a sober look before pursuing an opt-out request. At a recent industry war game hosted by Textron Systems, dozens of representatives from first responder, industry, rural and tribal communities came together to identify the best business case for successful coordination of the PSBN. The overwhelming consensus for success from this exercise is to build a system that is "managed federally, coordinated locally" - a model that requires the active participation of state, local and regional governments to succeed.

The PSBN law includes significant guidelines for states considering participation. The federal law mandates that FirstNet guarantee nationwide interoperability despite state requests to opt out. It also gives FirstNet both financial resources and the mechanism to provide further funding to support these activities. At the same time, while the law grants the ability to opt out, it also shifts the burden for stand-up and maintenance of the system from the federal government to the states choosing to opt out. This could prove costly to states already facing tremendous budgetary challenges, while reducing the nationwide buying power to negotiate preferable pricing. It is a fair concern that the opt-out paradigm could threaten the interoperability, functionality and financial soundness of the entire system.

Before local governments decide to go it alone, each must consider the benefit of having a truly interoperable, nationwide system that will invite and facilitate the sharing of critical data in times of emergency. They should also weigh the long-term cost and feasibility of sustaining an independent system that keeps their constituents safe, meets nationwide requirements and is capable of keeping pace with technological advancements – all without federal assistance.

A complex system such as this needs to be well thought-out and planned. We deserve the right data, the right tools and the right network to get the job done.

Tanner spent 23 years with the FBI and now provides law enforcement and intelligence consulting.